Aussie Motoring

Australian Summer Cars 5

by Stuart Livesey

If you’re looking for a convertible to help you enjoy the Australian summer - and you have over a quarter of a million dollars to spend - then the BMW M6 is for you.

Some describe it as a street-legal F1 while the Australians who now own one are too busy having fun to say much at all.

The first of these high-tech cars to reach Australia have now all been delivered to those on the top of of the waiting list. Others will follow soon.

You’ll find all the details and more images of the BMW M6 by following the link.

And you’ll find the other cars in the series of Australian Summer Cars by following these links.

Australian Summer Cars
Chrysler Sebring - coming later in the year

2000 Holden Barina Cabriolet - the cheapest convertible

Renault Megane Coupe Cabriolet - it’s French so expect the ususual.

BMW Series 3 Convertible - making it’s debut at the Brisbane Motor Show

It’s not in the wild just yet but the details, pricing and photos are

by Stuart Livesey

BMW released the X5 in Europe late last year and it’s Australian release - at the Melbourne Motor Show is only weeks away.

But BMW have released images, technical details and pricing and we’ve got them here at Aussie Motoring. The range certainly looks exciting and it includes the hot V8 you see here

Follow the link for all the details on the new BMW X5

The BMW 3 Series convertible

Yesterday we looked at the Renault Megane Coupe Cabriolet - the only convertible on Australian road that comes with a glass roof. You will find a link to that article below. Today we’re going to look at a convertible that won’t be released until the Brisbane Motor Show next month - the BMW 3 series convertible.

2006 was a great year for BMW in Australia as more and more people turned to BMW for their next luxury car. Heck even She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed and I toyed with the idea of trading in the Grandeur on a beemer. So there’s no doubt that the release of the new 3 Series convertible in Australia is being eagerly awaited..

Sadly while it’s going to be released in Brisbane it’s not going on sale anywhere in Australia till late March.

While the specifications and pricing details for the Australian model are yet to be announced we do know that the BMW 3 Series convertible will come with a choice of 160 kW 325i straight six magnesium-aluminium engine, or the new top of the range all-aluminium Twin Turbo 225 kW engine in the 335i.

It takes just 22 seconds for the fully-lined retractable hardtop to unfold itself from behind the rear seats. The three-piece lightweight steel roof provides both superior sound insulation and extremely large windows for excellent visibility.

Opening the roof is a full second faster than closing, and once stowed, the boot retains a remarkable 210 litres of luggage space.

In addition, the rear section of the seat backs fold flat allowing a through-loading system that means bulkier items than ever can be carried securely.

It’s certainly going to be one car I can’t wait to see at the Brisbane Motor Show

Australian Summer Cars
2000 Holden Barina Cabriolet - the cheapest convertible

Renault Megane Coupe Cabriolet - it’s French so expect the ususual

by Stuart Livesey

Autocar magazine’s Car of the Year 2007

This year the magazine’s award went to the BMW 335i which was also winner of the Best Performance Car category.

Other category winners included:

Holden VE Calais V8 - Best Executive Car

Nissan Maxima Spec-R - Best Large Car

Mazda3 SP23 - Best Compact Car

Mitsubishi Outlander - Best Crossover

Suzuki Swift Sport - Best Small Car

Of course, it’s a BMW

The world’s first hydrogen-drive luxury performance car has been unveiled at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.

Known as the Hydrogen 7 the car is based on BMW’s familiar 7 Series model and is equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running either on hydrogen or on petrol.

With the BMW Hydrogen 7, the BMW Group is laying down a marker for sustainable mobility and this car will play a pioneering role in driving forward hydrogen technologies.

Together with clean, performance diesel engines and the technologically advanced hybrid systems currently under development within the BMW EfficientDynamics project, the BMW Group has a clear strategy for sustainable mobility – with hydrogen as the ultimate goal.

Hydrogen technology dramatically reduces emissions generated by personal transport and, in particular, minimizes the emission of CO2.

Running in the hydrogen mode, the BMW Hydrogen 7 essentially emits nothing but water vapour.

With all the comforts and amenities of a non-hydrogen BMW 7 Series, the BMW Hydrogen 7 is powered by a 191 kW twelve-cylinder engine that accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 9.5 seconds.

Top speed is limited electronically to 230 km/h.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 also features a dual-mode power unit – controlled at the touch of a button – that can switch quickly and conveniently from hydrogen to conventional premium grade unleaded.

The car’s dual-mode drive provides a hydrogen mode cruising range of more than 200 kilometres, with another 500 kilometres in petrol mode.

With this overall cruising range of more than 700 kilometres, the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 is able to use the vehicle without problem even when the nearest hydrogen filling station is far away.

This technology is a viable solution until the hydrogen infrastructure is fully developed.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 emphatically proves that changing over to an alternative form of energy doesn’t mean missing out on superior driving dynamics and comfort.

The departure from fossil fuel does not in any way mean giving up the dynamics and performance typical of a BMW.

Do you find that switching high beam on and off such a nuisance that you don’t use it?

One of BMW’s cheaper options is also a safety device that could make night driving safer and less tiring.

High-Beam Assist, an intelligent new technology feature for the BMW 3 Series that automatically activates and deactivates the high beam, will further increase safety at night, improve driver comfort and reduce dazzling of other road users.

“Unfortunately, the high beam is very rarely used in practice, even though such use would be more frequently possible and even desirable,” says Tom Noble, General Manager, Marketing at BMW Group Australia.

“A scientific study in the United States on behalf of the US Ministry of Transport showed that the high beam is only used in about 25 per cent of cases in which its use would be possible.

“As with windscreen wipers, which have been available with automatic functions for some years on luxury cars, the constant switching on and off of the high beam is an irritating an repetitive activity.

“So it was a logical step for BMW to consider the potential of the high beam using intelligent technology in order to provide relief for the driver.

“Other studies have shown that when drivers do switch on the high beam, they often fail to deactivate it in time, thus unnecessarily dazzling other road users.

“Such situations can be avoided by means of intelligent technology such as High-Beam Assist,” says Tom.

Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com

High-Beam Assist is now available across the BMW 3 Series Coupé, Touring and Sedan family.

The intelligent feature is standard on the 335i Coupé and the upcoming 335i Sedan and is also available as a $300 option when ordered in conjunction with Bi-Xenon headlights on the rest of the BMW 3 Series range.

BMW first introduced High-Beam Assist on the 5 Series last year and was the first European premium manufacturer to offer such a system.

With High-Beam Assist a camera sensor integrated in the rear mirror casing registers activity on the road and automatically controls the activation and deactivation of the high beam.

The system identifies the headlights and rear lights of vehicles, as well as the surrounding road lighting.

The high beam switches on in the absence of vehicles on the road ahead or oncoming traffic, provided the road itself is not sufficiently illuminated.

A scientific study in the US has shown that the high beam is used very rarely, although such use is possible and even desirable in many situations.

High-Beam Assist makes a significant contribution to ensuring the high-beam is used more frequently.

It also prevents other road users from being dazzled if the driver switches to low beam too late or not at all.

At the same time it relieves the driver and increases comfort. All in all, High-Beam Assist makes for an increase in safety.

BMW Night Vision and High-Beam Assist represent the current high point of an initiative by BMW to make nocturnal driving safer for all road users and to offer the driver increased comfort.

Xenon light, which provides significantly increase brilliance and range, was introduced in the year 1991 (Bi-Xenon for low and high beam in 2001).

It was followed by the Adaptive Headlight in 2003, whose horizontally swivelling headlamps ensure considerably improved illumination of the road ahead.

Perhaps he should have played cricket for the Poms

Sir Alec Issigonis, designer of the post war Morris Minor and world-famous Mini, was born 100 years ago today, 18 November 1906. Originally from Smyrna, Turkey, a young Alec Issigonis moved to England in 1922 after his Greek father died.

Photo courtesty of Arno Schwithal

He lived with his Bavarian-born mother in London while studying engineering, later becoming a draughtsman and working for Morris before World War II.

While designing army vehicles he created the Morris Minor, a familiar sight on Australian roads, and practically all of the British Empire, for more than 30 years.

The Suez Crisis of 1956 prompted the need for more fuel-efficient, affordable cars, so the MINI was born, using a version of the Morris Minor engine, turned around in the engine bay, mounted above the gearbox and driving the front wheels. This automotive revolution defined the layout of generations of small city cars.

A forceful and authoritarian figure, Sir Alec often insisted “I did not invent the Mini, I designed it”. A technical genius, he called mathematics “the enemy of every creative human being”.

He had a dictum “never copy the opposition,” but was quite happy for others to copy his work, which they did in large numbers.

Sir Alec was no fan of luxury or comfort items in cars. He hated radios and wanted firm seats to keep drivers alert behind the wheel. Even a heater was optional, and passengers pulled a rope to open the doors when inside. By comparison, the 2006 MINI Cooper boasts airbags, air conditioning, sports seats, CD players as well as satellite navigation.

When the MINI was launched in 1959 it was the cheapest car Britons could buy at GBP 496. But because it was so much fun to drive, wealthier drivers soon latched on. Sir Alec even took The Queen for a ride around Hyde Park after her sister’s husband Lord Snowdon had bought one as a London runabout.

Sir Alec was knighted in 1969 and retired in 1971 but continued consulting until 1987. He died in 1988, aged 82.

In all, 5.3 million MINI ‘Classic’ models were built from 1959 to 2000. Since 2002, more than 850,000 new generation MINIs have been built in Oxford, on the same site where the British Motor Corporation used to build the Morris Mini Minor.

I wonder what Sir Alec would have thought of this version of his great design.

Photo courtesy of Dantada

Launching a luxury rocket

Australians will get their first peek at the fastest accelerating and most expensive example of open-top motoring in the BMW family, the M6 Convertible, next week when the Australian International Motor Show opens in Sydney. The 373 kW V10 M6 Convertible accelerates from 0–100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds and will cost you $295,000 for the base model.

BMW feels that the M6 Convertible stands alone in the market without any direct competitor and that’s hard to argue with when you look at its pedigree and the high level of creature comforts.

The new M6 measures 4,871 millimetres or 191.8“ in length and that makes it well over 5 centimetres longer than the BMW 6 Series Convertible. Much of the extra length is taken up with an optimised rear air dam.

The cockpit
The view from the driver’s seat is definitely worth the price tag. All controls are arranged on or around the steering wheel and the new M6 comes with a head-up display that presents driving information essential to the driver directly in their field of vision, with the driver being able to determine at the touch of a button what information they wish to see – either the standard display or M specific details.

The automatic drive function, in turn, makes fast cruising an outstanding experience of both comfort and performance, SMG enabling the driver to shift gears either on the selector lever or via paddles on the steering wheel. And the interruption of power when shifting gears is reduced to an absolute minimum in both the manual and automatic mode.

Transmission
Drivelogic in BMW’s SMG transmission offers the driver no less than 11 driving programs for an individual SMG gearshift tailored to his style of motoring. Six of these 11 programs my be pre-selected within the manual gearshift function (S mode), with the driver choosing gears by hand.

The only exception is Launch Control for maximum acceleration from a standstill. The shift manoeuvres required in each case are completed independently by the transmission at the ideal gearshift point and with optimum slip control.

Adding to this freedom in choosing gears manually, the D-mode offers another five driving programs with automatic transmission.

High-performance brakes for a high-performance car
Reflecting the enormous power of the engine, the BMW M6 Convertible comes with a high-performance brake system featuring cross-drilled, weight-optimised compound brake discs. As a result, the Convertible comes to a halt from 100 km/h within just 36 metres, while its stopping distance from 200 km/h is less than 140 metres.

Two-stage brake lights at the rear help to prevent bumper-to-bumper collisions: Whenever the driver presses down the brake pedal hard, the area lit up in the lights is larger than usual, urging motorists following from behind to brake harder, too. And another safety feature is the use of very bright, fast-responding light-emitting diodes free of wear and not requiring any maintenance.

But why a new MINI when BMW couldn’t keep up with the demand for the old MINI?

BMW launched its first MINI in 2001 and since then has sold over 875,000 vehicles and it admits that it has never been able to keep up with the demand. However in the words Dr Michael Ganal, a member of the BMW board speaking at the Paris Motorshow:

“The MINI brand has a rich heritage and there is a strong sense of tradition. It might have been an option to build on the erstwhile model. But MINI is different. MINI today is an entirely modern brand. Customers can expect this premium brand to come up with something new time and again – concerning product substance, technological innovations and safety features.”

And so in line with the stated aim of keeping the MINI new and fresh Dr Ganal went on to list some of the features of the new MINI:

“In the future, it will be even more fun to drive a MINI: The new MINI is equipped with even more state-of-the-art high-tech features. Completely new four-cylinder engines for all models guarantee a considerable increase in performance at a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 20 per cent.

The new, electro-mechanically assisted power steering now responds even more precisely. An optimized chassis and a new six-speed transmission further enhance the characteristic MINI go-kart feeling.

We have enhanced the vehicle’s substance – in terms of safety technology, standard equipment and interior materials. With six airbags, the new MINI is the safest car in its class. And we have improved another one of the MINI’s unique premium features: The new generation offers even more possibilities for customization, an even wider range of surfaces, materials and color combinations as well as many new special equipment options.”

Along with the new MINI comes an expanded production facility at Oxford that will enable BMW to produce 240,000 units a year.

Team MINI fielded just one of its three car team for the Alphera Dutton Rally Victoria last weekend and secured a giant-killing outright victory on handicap.

Beating off a field of close to 100 hard-charging competitors including exotic sports thoroughbreds costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, and all-wheel drive rally-bred turbo-charged Japanese challengers by the dozen, the Team MINI, MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit emerged victorious in Victoria.

With multi-Australia Driver’s champion Paul Stokell sharing driving duties with Publishing Director Mike Sinclair, the CarPoint backed Team MINI entry claimed three prizes: First outright on handicap, and first in class for drivers, with Mike Sinclair picking up a trophy for third in class for co-drivers.

A clutch of privately entered MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works models also finished well up the leader board, with Scott Manson third overall on Handicap in his John Cooper Works equipped 2004 MINI Cooper S, and Craig Williams sixth in his 2003 MINI Cooper S.

MINI Cooper S cars were the only European hot hatch entries in the top 29 cars, further emphasising MINI’s sporting prowess and suitability for these events.

The Victorian win backs up a similarly stunning effort at the previous Alphera Dutton Rally round in Queensland, where the Team recorded a brilliant class win and second place on handicap for co-drivers and third overall on handicap for drivers.

The Team MINI racers are based around showroom cars, with only safety equipment such as FIA compliant roll cages, race seats and harnesses fitted. The cars use Dunlop road-legal competition tyres and AP-derived race brakes, both of which are available to customers keen to build their own event winner.

Stokell was pumped after cleaning up on track at Shepparton and Winton, being the first new generation MINI to crack a one minute 40 second lap at the circuit. His race time at Sandown was as impressive, logging just a smidge over 1 minute 30.

“We ran very strongly over the whole event,” Paul said. “The car never missed a beat, and we continued to leave other competitors astonished at our cornering speeds.

“The result at Winton is spectacular.”

Mike Sinclair was equally excited by his third in class result, vastly improved over his last Dutton outing.

“I have got my head around the gymkhana events and now we’re really starting to give the seasoned campaigners as well as the much more expensive cars a run for their money in the co-driver class as well as the driver class,” he said.

The next stop for the rampaging Team MINI cars is an anniversary party at Bathurst over the weekend of 5-8 September as part of the MINI Conquers the Mountain event, including a parade lap comprising 50 classic MINIs and the three 2006 Works cars.

Legendary MINI racer Bob Holden will drive one of the Team MINI cars around Bathurst, 40 years after he won the race in a 1966 MINI Cooper S partnered by Finnish BMC driver Rauno Aaltonen.

Bob, 74, continues to participate successfully in motorsport. He was also in action this weekend, campaigning a classic MINI Cooper S at the Speed on Tweed event in New South Wales.

Immediately following the Bathurst anniversary Parade, Team MINI heads back to Victoria for the final event of the year, the Mount Buller Sprint.